Method of vacuum packaging air filter materials



March 7, 1967 HR|$TENsEN ET AL 3,307,319

' METHOD OF VACUUM'PACKAGING AIR FILTER MATERIALS Filed Aug. l2, 196CFIG. I.

FIG. 2.

n mm mm Vhhu m .B 0 LP ,6 My dm 2 m m F G u m 8 g 2 L R w w L r u M F \1O 3 z T FIJIIK R ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,307,319 METHOD 0FVACUUM PACKAGING AIR FHLTER MATERIALS Gordon L. Christensen, GardenGrove, Calif., and Henry F. Blank, San Antonio, Tex., assignors toStandard Electric Company, Inc., San Antonio, Tex., a corporation ofTexas Filed Aug. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 301,455 8 Claims. (Cl. 53-22) Thisinvention relates to a method of vacuum packaging air filter media,which are bulky due to the nature of the materials and the presence ofair in the interstices thereof.

The present invention is concerned particularly with vacuum packagingand reducing the diameter of rolls of glass fiber, cellulose, filterpads, and the like.

Certain difliculties have arisen in providing a satisfactory packagingfor air filter media. The present practice in the art is to wind a rollof filter media on a mandrel by compression winding, after which apaper-like covering is secured around the wound roll of filter materialfor protection. This is an unsatisfactory methotd of packing suchmaterial as it results in a bulky package, inefficient utilization ofspace and increased transportation expense to supply customers with anorder of filter material.

The new method of packaging as taught by this invention substantiallyovercomes the above problems of packaging filter material.

Briefly, the exemplary method of this invention consists, generally, ofat least one step of evacuation of cut filter pads or a wound roll ofmaterial and the application of one or a plurality of progressivelysmaller air-tight containers for the material for each consecutive stepof evacuation of air. The containers structural arrangement of ;theinvention may be in various forms and of various selections ofmaterials. 7 material may be evacuated, reduced in diameter and pre- Forexample, each roll of filter pared as a polyethylene wrapped package, apackage Wrapped in paper tubes, corrugated paper tubes, kraft paper, andthe like. Likewise, the package may be of alternate structuralcombinations in which a flexible tubing of paper, polyethylene, otherplastics, and the like may not only be used during the evacuating stepsof the method of the invention, but may be used as a final or outsidewrapping for control of the size of the packaged unit of material.

For example, many manufacturers attractively color their rolls of filtermaterials for public display, and to make the filter material imperviousto fungus, odors, etc. For such public display and handling of filtermedia, all structural wrapping of the package may be of polyethylenetubing or of clear plastic materials and the like.

T he primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedmethod of packaging, evacuating air therefrom and increasing the densityof air filter materials and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of packagingand evacuating air from rolls of compressible materials into compact andattractive units.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of packagingwhich is simple, inexpensive, and requires a minimum of equipment andapparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of packagingrolls of air filter material including the steps of evacuating the airfrom the package and interstices of the material thereby increasing thedensity of the material, and further packaging the material asdisplayable commercial units of various uniform sizes, such that thefilter material will be kept clean from dust and other foreign matter.

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A still further object of the invention is to provide a method of vacuumpackaging cut pads and rolls of air filter materials into compact unitsto fit the-space in which it is desired to store or display the articlewithout destructively compressing or diminishing the width or originallength of the cut pad or roll of filter material when packaged.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art in the following drawings and specification.

A detailed description of the present invention will now be given withreference to the drawing in which like reference numerals represent likeparts.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a general type of apparatus which may be used forvacuum packaging rolls of filter material in accordance with theteaching of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the first step of vacuum packaging of a roll ofcompressible filter material in which the ends of the tubing materialhave been sealed or tied.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the next step or covering of the vacuum compressedroll of FIG. 2 with a smaller size of tubing material which'acts as acontrol to limit the expansion of the roll when the vacuum is removed.

FIGURE 4 shows the completed application of the second containermaterial with its ends sealed by tieing or other desired means ofsealing, such as by heat application or the like.

FIGURE 5 illustrates the application of an open end tube of paper orother desired material as an alternative or additional protectivecontrol form over the evacuated package of either FIG. 2 or FIG. 4; and.

FIGURE 6 illustrates the application of the invention in which bags, ofvarious materials and compositions, having one end closed are used forvacuum packaging of cut pads of filter materials or rolls of filtermaterial and the like.

Referring to the drawing;

FIG URE l'shows'a roll of fiber glassor other material 10, of a size aswould 'be customarily shipped in commerce, being mounted upon a pipemandrel 16 through the core of the roll 10, after which a thinpolyethylene tubing 12, having a thicknes of, for example, 0.00l inch,or other desired tubing preferably mounted in roll form on a supportingmeans 17, is slipped over the entire length of the roll of filtermaterial 10 being pulled a few inches further than the remote endthereof. This excess part of tubing 12 is gathered around mandrel 16 andtied or held by flexible band means 20, so that no air will escapethrough the opening formed thereby. The operator then moves to the endof roll 10 near the roll of tubing 12 with the tubing still uncut andallowing several inches of the tubing 12 to extend from this end ofrolled filter material 10, cuts and trims the end of tubing 12. Thisgives enough tubing 12 overhanging the end of filter material 10 togather the same and secure it by either tying, usinga flexible bandmeans, or other means indicated at 22, so that this completes enclosure-11 by being air sealed at this end.

Mandrel 16 is operatively connected to, and communicates by suctionconduit 18, with conventional vacuum machine 14 supported on a stand 19or the like. The mandrel 16 may have a plurality of longitudinallyspaced apertures (not shown) along its surface.

The vacuum machine 14 is then turned on and enclosure 11 is evacuated tothe size indicated in FIG. 2.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the application of another tubing 24, preferablyformed of a somewhat thicker material such as 0.002 inch polyethyleneand of the desired control size of package 11 in FIG. 2, being slippedover tubing 12. The tubing 24 may be slipped over the roll of FIG. 2without evacuation of air with the ends tucked in or sealed as in FIG. 2to function merely as a control means for the finished diameter offilter material 10, after which the vacuum machine 14 is stopped.Aiternately the tubing 24 may be cut, tied, sealed and evacuated as inthe steps shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to remove any air therefrom, therebydecreasing the package size still further.

FIGURE illustrates the application of a rigid paper tubing 30, such ascorrugated cardboard or the like, to function as a protective cover andas an additional control means for the finished diameter of filtermaterial or in place of the tubing 24 as the sole control means. Thefinal position of the paper tube with respect to the pa kaged filtermaterial 10 is shown in section, thereby illustrating an alternateembodiment of the finished product of this invention.

More specifically, FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate two embodiments of the finalproduct of the novel method of the instant invention. In FIG. 4, finaltubing means 24 may function both as a vacuum container means and as afinal control means for the diameter of filter material 10 or in thealternative, tubing means 24 may only function as a final control meansfor the diameter of filter material 10. In FIG. 5, member 30 merelyserves as a protection means and as a control means for the finaldiameter of filter material 10.

FIGURE 6 represents another embodiment of the invention in which baggingmaterials 12a and 24 are applied to a quantity of filter pads 10a andthe like and evacuated in accordance with the steps of FIG. 3 in whichmandrel 16 is connected to a vacuum source 14. After the vacuum isremoved from the filter pads for each step of the enclosure, the openend of the bag is sealed or tucked in to make the package airtight.FIGURE 6 discloses the use of a combination product of polyethylene andkraft paper and the like, laminated or in other forms of manufacture.

The use of bags may be incorporated into the process shown in FIGS. 1-5in place of either the first tubular material, the second tubularmaterial, or both.

Likewise, a combination product of polyethylene and kraft paper may besubstituted for any of the tubular material described hereinbefore.

While there has been described hereinabove steps for a one or two stagevacuum packaging procedure in connection with the application of plastictubing 12 and 24, respectively, it is to be understood that thisinvention is not restricted to a method of any specific number of stagesof vacuum packaging of filter material, but the new method may containone or more vacuum packaging steps for a control of the final diameterof filter material 10, as desired; especially, if filter material 10 isto be stored in proximity to impervious gases in polyethylene tubing 12and 24.

In the novel method of this invention no air valves or destructivecompression forms have been used to compress or destructively impair theoriginal width and length of glass filter material 10 or other similarfibrous filter ma- .terials within the purview of this invention.

In the steps of the invention already outlined for each embodiment ofthis inventive method, during the vacuum packaging of each roll ofmaterial 10, air is removed from both the container and the intersticesof the material which allows substantially only the resilient structuralstresses of the glass fiber or filter material to resist the greateroutside air pressure which results in a substantial decrease in thediameter of filter material 10 which also results in greater density perunit volume of material 10 for storage purposes. For example, a 24 inchdiameter roll of filter material 10, as shown in FIG. 1, may bedecreased to a 14 inch diameter roll of product material, as shown inFIGS. 2-5.

In this method the vacuum is preferably applied slowly so as not toinjure or shear the fibers perpendicularly to their longitudinal axes.Therefore, when the vacuum package is removed from each pad or roll offilter material 10 during use, the material springs back tosubstantially its original form and size without any deleterious eflfectto the fiber structure and original longitudinal length of the filter,which is very important in providing good filter media satisfactory foruse in the industry.

While there has been described, what is at present considered to be thepreferred embodiments of this inventive method of packaging filtermaterials, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein Without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore, understood that thisinvention is not to be limited except as covered in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The method of vacuum packaging and reducing the diameter of rolls offilter materials which comprises placing a roll of wound filter materialon a hollow elongated apertured evacuating mandrel operatively connectedto a vacuum source, placing a first tubing of flexible material of thesize of the roll about the material, cutting the tubing to extend beyondthe ends of said filter material, sealing said tubing material aboutsaid filter material and said mandrel to form an air-tight container,evacuating the air uniformly from said container and said materialslowly through said mandrel along the full length thereof to form afirst evacuated package, applying a second tubing of flexible materialof the size of said first evacuated package about said first package,cutting the second tubing to extend around said first package, sealingsaid tubing about said first package to form a second container, forcontrolling the final diameter of said first evacuated package, sealingsaid second container, positioning a substantially rigid tube of a sizeof said evacuated package about said second package, stopping saidvacuum, and removing said second package with said tube thereabout fromsaid mandrel.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tube is formed ofcorrugated cardboard.

3. The method of packaging air filter materials comprising the steps ofplacing a roll of wound filter material on a hollow perforatedevacuating mandrel operatively connected to a vacuum source, placing athin tubing material around said filter material and said mandrel,sealing said tube material to form a first airtight container,evacuating air from said first container to diminish the diameter ofsaid filter material and to form an evacuated package, placing a smallerdiameter of thin tubing material about said evacuated package, sealingsaid second tubing about said evacuated package and said mandrel to forma container to control the diameter of said filter material, removingsaid container from said mandrel and sealing the same to prevent entryof air, and placing a rigid tubing over said container prior to removalfrom said mandrel.

4. The method of packaging air filter materials comprising the steps ofplacing a roll of wound filter material on a hollow perforatedevacuating mandrel operatively connected to a vacuum source, placing athin tubing material around said filter material and said mandrel,sealing said tubing material to form a first airtight container,evacuating air from said first container to diminish the diameter ofsaid filter material and to form an evacuated package, placing a smallerdiameter of thin tubing material about said evacuated package, sealingsaid second tubing about said evacuated package and said mandrel to forma container to control the diameter of said filter material, removingsaid container from said mandrel and sealing the same to prevent entryof air, and placing a tubing which is transparent over said containerprior to removal from said mandrel.

5. A method of vacuum packaging rolls of compressible materialcomprising the steps of placing a roll of wound compressible material onan elongated apertured evacuating mandrel operatively connected toavacuum means, feeding a length of relatively thin expansible andcontractable tubing material from a source of supply around saidcompressible material and said mandrel, severing said length of tubingmaterial, sealing the ends of said tubing material about saidcompressible material to form an airtight container, evacuating air fromsaid airtight container uniformly throughout its length through theevacuating mandrel to diminish the diameter of the compressible materialand the tubing, placing a smaller tubing of relatively rigidinexpansible material over said reduced diameter tubing and compressiblematerial to control the size of the diminished diameter of saidcompressible material, stopping the vacuum, removing the compressiblematerial in said container and said tubing of relatively rigidinexpansible material from said mandrel, and allowing the compressiblematerial and container to expand to fill the confines of the relativelyrigid inexpansible container.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the relatively rigidinexpansible tubing is of paper material.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the relatively thinexpansible and contractable tubing is polyethelene.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the material of said 5 relatively thintubing is a combination polyethylene and kraft paper.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS TRAVIS S.MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner.

5. A METHOD OF VACUUM PACKAGING ROLLS OF COMPRESSIBLE MATERIALCOMPRISING THE STEPS OF PLACING A ROLL OF WOUND COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL ONAN ELONGATED APERTURED EVACUATING MANDREL OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO AVACUUM MEANS, FEEDING A LENGTH OF RELATIVELY THIN EXPANSIBLE ANDCONTRACTABLE TUBING MATERIAL FROM A SOURCE OF SUPPLY AROUND SAIDCOMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL AND SAID MANDREL, SEVERING SAID LENGTH OF TUBINGMATERIAL, SEALING THE ENDS OF SAID TUBING MATERIAL ABOUT SAIDCOMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL TO FORM AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER, EVACUATING AIR FROMSAID AIRTIGHT CONTAINER UNIFORMLY THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH THROUGH THEEVACUATING MANDREL TO DIMINISH THE DIAMETER OF THE COMPRESSIBLE MATERIALAND THE TUBING, PLACING A SMALLER TUBING OF RELATIVELY RIGIDINEXPANSIBLE MATERIAL OVER SAID REDUCED DIAMETER TUBING AND COMPRESSIBLEMATERIAL TO CONTROL THE SIZE OF THE DIMINISHED DIAMETER OF SAIDCOMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL, STOPPING THE VACUUM, REMOVING THE COMPRESSIBLEMATERIAL IN SAID CONTAINER AND SAID TUBING OF RELATIVELY RIGIDINEXPANSIBLE MATERIAL FROM SAID MANDREL, AND ALLOWING THE COMPRESSIBLEMATERIAL AND CONTAINER TO EXPAND TO FILL THE CONFINES OF THE RELATIVELYRIGID INEXPANSIBLE CONTAINER.